


Ways We Could Have Met (Or Not)

by Ghostery



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Original Series (Movies)
Genre: (referenced) Accidental Voyeurism, Alien Biology, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Injury, Discovery Season 2 Spoilers, Drinking & Talking, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Head Injury, Humor, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mild Language, Multi, Not Really Character Death, Pining, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Siblings, somewhat canon compliant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-02-28 21:32:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 18,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18764653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghostery/pseuds/Ghostery
Summary: A series of unconnected one-shots where Kirk finds out about Spock's sister, because I couldn't think of just one.While not directly linked to my Jim + Tilly friendship fics, a lot of these will presuppose that they know each other.(Stories are individually tagged in the beginning chapter notes.)





	1. The One During "The Red Angel"

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to read any instance of James T. Kirk & Spock as James T. Kirk/ Spock. I’m certainly not going to stop you.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Michael takes a call from Tilly's friend Jim while Spock is there? Takes place during Season 2 Episode 10: The Red Angel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags for this section: Sylvia Tilly & James T. Kirk, Michael Burnham & Sylvia Tilly, Michael Burnham & Spock, implied Michael Burnham/James T. Kirk, implied Michael Burnham/ Sylvia Tilly. Spoilers for the 2nd season of Discovery and some references to character death, but no actual character death. Spoilers for The Way to the Stars by Una McCormack.

Spock followed her back to her quarters after their conversation in the gym. They needed to decide how to approach Captain Pike with the new information Spock had found. He wasn’t going to like their plan, but it was the best one they had, so getting him to go along with it was imperative. They were throwing arguments and counter-arguments at each other, trying to anticipate the objections of everyone else. It was nice to be working with her brother again, though she wished she didn’t have to nearly die to make it happen.

There was a chime from an incoming transmission. She recognized the customized tone immediately and groaned. He really had the worst timing. Spock raised an eyebrow.

“Someone is trying to contact you.”

“No, someone’s trying to contact Tilly, but the call has been rerouted here.”

“You are going to answer it? Why?”

“He’s sort of a friend of mine. This probably won’t take long. Computer, accept transmission.” The now familiar image of Jim Kirk appeared in the room.

“Hi… Michael? Where’s Tilly? Is she okay? Wait, are you okay? You look…” He studied her face for a second, “off.”

“I’m okay, Jim. Tilly’s okay, too. We’re just working on a pretty involved project right now.” She gestured at Spock. Jim looked skeptical, but let it drop.

“Never a dull moment, huh?”

“Not yet, no.”

“And you can’t tell me any of it. You probably can’t even introduce me to your colleague?” He asked. Michael breathed out slowly through her nose, she shouldn’t have pointed out Spock. Then the comm system wouldn’t have included him and Jim wouldn’t have known someone else was in the room with her.

“That’s right, but I guess I can introduce you. This is my brother, Lieutenant Spock. Spock, this is Ensig-”

“Lieutenant James T. Kirk. A lot of people call me Jim, though. Pleased to meet you,” he interrupted.

“Indeed. H—”

“You got promoted? Congratulations,” Michael said preventing Spock from saying anything more. She _was_ genuinely happy for him. Jim ducked his head for a second.

“Thanks.” He smiled back at her. Was he blushing? It was hard to tell through the blue-tinged hologram. “Yeah, it’s part of why I was calling. I also wanted to congratulate you and Tilly for no longer being fugitives. I swear, your ship is always getting into trouble.”

“We try not to.”

“Sure, but it doesn’t seem to be working.”

“Why are you so familiar with my sister?” Spock asked.

“Spock,” Michael said, but it was ignored.

“Err… I don— I mean…”

“She outranks you. She is the second officer of a ship. You are only just a lieutenant. Yet, you refer to her by her first name. Furthermore, your reactions to her praise are indicative o—”

“We’re friends? She said I could?” Jim said, cutting Spock off with only a hint of panic, “Look, Tilly and I were at the Academy together. I met her through Tilly when they became roommates." His expression became mischievous. "The real question here is why they still room together, but I studiously don’t ask about that,” he winked at Michael. Sometimes he just could not help himself. Seeing her expression, he held his hands up, “I’m just saying that I bet second officers get really nice quarters. I’m friends with Tilly, too, and you don’t see me rushing to share a room with her. It was bad enough when she’d stop by my dorm. She kept reorganizing my books,” he made a face. Michael laughed.

“You must have been special. She doesn’t do anything like that to me,” Michael admitted.

“You don’t have anything for her to rearrange,” Spock pointed out.

“Thanks, Spock,” Michael replied dryly.

“Anyway,” Jim dragged out the word, “I don’t want to hold up your important project. Could you pass my news along to Tilly when you get the chance and maybe take a picture when you do?” He asked, neatly side-stepping the topic of her decor choices. “Also, could you tell her I’m proud of her for not falling back into her old criminal ways?” Jim added. Michael laughed again, both at Jim’s request and Spock’s bewilderment.

“Sure.”

“You’re a gem, Michael. It was nice to meet you, Lieutenant Spock. Stay safe all of you.” His eyes met hers and Spock’s, including him in the sentiment. “Bye.”

“You too. Bye.”

“Farewell?” Spock said, clearly taken aback by the entire conversation. The connection closed. “What did he mean by ‘old criminal ways’?”

“Tilly was a teenage runaway for a while.” Spock still looked puzzled. “It’s a long story.”

* * *

“Ah, here he is. Captain Kirk, allow me to introduce you to your first officer, Lieutenant Commander Spock,” Fleet Captain Pike said.

“We’ve met,” Jim said.

“You have? Mr. Spock, you could have said something. How many times have I told you not to let me introduce you to people you already know?” It was clear even to Jim that Spock was calculating a response. “Wait, don’t. That was rhetorical.” Captain Pike said.

“Yes, we met about eight years ago. He dressed me down when I was new lieutenant for being too familiar with a commander,” Jim explained. Spock raised an eyebrow.

“I was not expecting Captain Kirk to remember that conversation after so much time, Captain Pike. I apologize,” Spock said.

“Oh, on the contrary, I found it quite impossible to forget.”

“Fascinating, Captain. What was it that made it so memorable?”

“The Commander, of course. But, Mr. Spock, I never kiss and tell.” He’d also never gotten close to kissing Michael, but based on the greenish hue overtaking some of his complexion, Spock didn’t know that. Captain Pike blew out a noisy breath. Both he and Spock turned to look at him. If Jim was any judge, Captain Pike was trying not to laugh… or something. He was a bit red in the face, at any rate. He’d been on that ship eight years ago, too, Jim remembered. He’d clearly figured out who the commander could have been, but whether or not he would be able to call his bluff, Jim didn’t know. Captain Pike coughed.

“Well, then, gentlemen, I’m going to let you two get, uh, reacquainted then.” With that, Captain Pike walked away quickly, toward the bar. 


	2. The First one During Journey to Babel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Kirk knew that Sarek and Amanda were Michael's foster parents? Takes place during TOS: Season 2 Episode 10: Journey To Babel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter tags: Sarek/Amanda Grayson, Michael Burnham & James T. Kirk. Obviously, friendships between TOS characters are in place.

Jim felt the atmosphere change as soon as he asked if Spock would like to see his parents, though he didn’t understand it.

He’d been anticipating meeting Ambassador Sarek and his wife as soon as he’d been informed they’d be coming aboard. They’d had someone in common after all, though he was barred from mentioning that. It would still be nice to meet the people who raised her.

Then Spock admitted that the Ambassador and his wife were his parents and all hell broke loose in his head. Spock looked like he was pained. Mrs. Sarek was smiling at him. Ambassador Sarek was utterly emotionless. Bones looked thoroughly delighted. Jim was speechless. He felt his mouth open, but nothing came out. If Spock was the son of Sarek and Michael had been the (foster) daughter of Sarek, then that would mean… that they were siblings? Oh hell, they were siblings.

Summoning up all of his training, he made a mental note to take this revelation up with Spock at a later more appropriate time and did what he was best at, namely, adapting and getting on with his duties.

Oh, he and Spock were going to have a truly momentous conversation about this whole debacle later, extensively covering the topics of his parents **and** his sister.

He only hoped the ship would survive it.


	3. The One After The Voyage Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Kirk doesn't find out Spock has a sister until after they get back with the whales?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place after The Voyage Home.  
> Chapter tags: James T. Kirk & Spock (can be read as James T. Kirk/Spock, it can really go either way.), Spock & Michael Burnham. Angst. Memory loss.

“There you are,” Jim said. He’d been looking for Spock for the better part of fifteen minutes. Spock had never been much for parties, but now after having died and coming back, this trait seemed to be intensified.

“I’m sorry Adm— Capt—“

“I've told you, just say ‘Jim’, Spock, it’ll be easier.”

“I’m sorry, Jim, I did not mean to worry you,” Spock said. He was still facing the window, looking out at the night sky. Jim moved closer, until he was beside him, looking at Spock’s face.

“Spock, are those… have you been crying?” Jim was at a complete loss. It scared him. So much about Spock these days either scared, worried, or exasperated him. Part of him wanted to run back into the party and grab Bones, make him figure out what was happening. However, it would probably be prudent to at least see if Spock would tell him what was happening first before calling in reinforcements.

“She set a star…” Spock said quietly, then turned to look at him. “She set a star so that I would know she is okay because she loves me and I love her.”

“Who?” Jim said, now thoroughly confused and more than a little alarmed.

“My sister,” Spock said, turning back to the window. Okay, if this didn’t start making sense soon, not only was Jim going to find Bones, he was going to find Sarek and make him make this make sense. Ambassador from Vulcan, person who was likely a large part of the reason they all weren’t headed to a penal colony, and everything else be damned. He’d get answers or else.

“Your sister? You never mentioned having a sister.”

“I didn’t?”

“No, I’d have remembered.”

“I invented a method for time travel and still couldn’t join her, there’s always been so much to do here. So much responsibility and duty and service. I was ready to give it all up to follow her wherever she went.”

“Please Spock, you’re not making sense.”

“I couldn’t tell you about her. I couldn’t tell you even though you already knew her, Jim. We all swore never to mention her name.”

“Spock, I have no idea what or who you’re talking about.”

“Please don’t say you’ve forgotten her, not even after all this time. She deserves so much more than to be forgotten.”

“I don’t know if I have or not, because I don’t know who your sister is. We spent so much time on Vulcan during your recovery Spock and this is still the first I’m hearing about this. Just tell me her name.”

“I swore not to say it.”

“I know, but… I swear not to tell anyone you told me you have a sister or what her name is if you tell me. I know you are not quite your old self again, but you should know enough about me by now to see that there’s no one else in the galaxy I trust as much as I trust you. Please, just trust me enough to explain this,” Jim said. He was basically begging at this point. Seeing Spock a shadow of who he was after his resurrection hadn’t been quite as bad as this. For one thing, there’d been more people around to help.

“She told me to find the farthest person from me and reach for them, so they could guide me. I did. I reached for you. I hope she knows,” Spock said. Jim didn’t say anything, he didn’t know if it was possible anymore for him to speak. There were fresh tears on Spock’s face, so he did the only thing that made sense, he wiped them away. That seemed to jolt Spock back to the present. He caught Jim’s hand and held it so tightly it was almost painful. Spock was looking at him now, a look he’d seen many times before. The one that sized him up to see if he was worthy, of what he was never sure. When Spock spoke again, it was barely more than a breath.

“Her name… my sister’s name is Michael."


	4. The One During Amok Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Michael and Tilly were on Vulcan during the events of Amok Time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This assumes that Discovery's crew returns to the 23rd century and they are able to resume their former lives. It also assumes that Jim and Tilly and Michael all know each other as well. Takes place during TOS Season 2 Episode 1: Amok Time.
> 
> Chapter tags: James T. Kirk & Sylvia Tilly, James T. Kirk & Michael Burnham, James T. Kirk & Spock, almost Spock/T'Pring (but we all know how that goes). Amok TIme with Discovery characters thrown in. Extremely brief references to TOS levels of violence, references to PTSD, and implied character death consistent with the episode.

Jim tried to ignore the sweat dripping down the back of his neck as Spock struck the gong in the center of the ringed area they were standing in. It would signal the beginning of the proceedings if he remembered Spock’s all too brief explanation right. Sure enough, Jim soon heard the chime of approaching bells.

When the marriage party came into view, he was shocked to see familiar faces, two of them in the same uniform as him. Okay, Spock had said his father was an ambassador once, hadn’t he? That could explain T’Pau, but he couldn’t think of a single reason why Captains Michael Burnham and Sylvia Tilly were in attendance. When his eyes met Tilly’s she gave him a small tight smile. Michael did not acknowledge him. She looked deeply troubled. He couldn’t imagine why that should be. Then he grew even more confused when T’Pau admonished Spock for bringing outworlders. She’d already brought two Humans there herself. What were two more?

He didn’t have too much more time to worry about any of this, because he unexpectedly found himself engaged to be married and in a position where he’d have to either kill his friend and first officer or be killed by him.

 

* * *

 

Tilly snuck around to the man who had been standing with Jim and Spock as the kal-if-fee began. This was somehow worse than the nightmare scenario Michael had laid out to her last night, the one where T’Pring spurned Spock in favor of someone named Stonn. If T’Pring said one word after this about how putting Spock and Jim in a death match was logical, she’d find out exactly where her precious logic would get her, especially if anyone actually died. Since allowing T’Pring’s plans to happen had the downside of upsetting Michael further and a body count greater than zero, Tilly was formulating a plan of her own.

“You’re a doctor, right?” Tilly said when she reached the officer who’d introduced himself as Leonard McCoy.

“Yeah, for all the good that is,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Don’t you have anything in that bag of yours that can help?”

“What like Tri-Ox Compound so Jim can breathe and have a chance? No, all I’ve got is a sedative that could knock Spock out cold, but how can I give it to him now?”

“Give it to Jim. I don't care how. Just find a way and say it’s Tri-Ox Compound instead.”

“What? It’s too powerful, he’d go into a coma.”

“That’s better than being dead. Find a way to give it to Jim and take him back to Enterprise as soon as you can. Figure it out and consider that an order, Commander, on the double.”

“Yes, ma’am,” McCoy said, though it was clear he didn’t like her delegating the bulk of her plan to him. Tough. It wasn’t like he was coming up with anything better. Tilly snuck back to Michael going behind T’Pau again. If T’Pau noticed her movements, she didn't object to them.

“What’d you do?” Michael asked, her voice quiet and incredibly strained.

“Nothing,” Tilly said. There would hopefully be time later to explain when there weren’t so many good ears around. She took Michael’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly. A few nerve-wracking minutes later, Michael damn near broke Tilly’s fingers when Spock came close to laying a killing blow on Jim. Tilly held her breath, but not for long because the fight stopped after T’Pau said something in Vulcan which Tilly didn’t understand. Apparently, Jim disarming Spock was a problem even more than it was a surprise. It was the last good move Jim had in him, Tilly thought since he was now kneeling in the sand and gasping for breath.

McCoy went into action, going to Jim’s aid and convincing T’Pau to let him give Jim something to help him breathe. It was total bullshit, but it worked.

“What’s he doing?” Michael said, panic rising in her voice.

“He’s helping, Michael. It’ll be okay. Promise.” Tilly said as the fight resumed.

This time was worse though because when Jim hit the ground, he didn’t get back up. Spock had apparently strangled him. McCoy, ever dutiful, pronounced him dead in another impressive feat of lying through his teeth and beamed them away after making a show of asking Spock for orders. His act almost convinced her. Tilly paused. Please, oh please, let it be an act, Tilly thought. Michael’s hand was shaking in hers. Tilly hoped Michael wasn’t reliving all the times when people had grabbed her by the throat and tried to kill her, but that was a vain wish.

“Is this your idea of okay?” She whispered, panicked and angry. Tilly shushed her, wrapping her free hand around Michael’s arm above the elbow, just in case. She would have squeezed Michael’s hand again, but she couldn’t feel her fingers anymore. As concerned as she was for her friend, Spock was asking for an explanation and she wanted to know exactly what T’Pring was playing at and yep, there was that word. Logical. Welcome to a permanent spot on Captain Tilly’s shit list, you self-righteous conniving accessory to attempted murder. Logic won’t save you there, Tilly thought. Michael, for her part, had clearly had enough and took off straight for her brother, towing Tilly behind her.

“Brother, we will return to Enterprise with you,” Michael said, pulling Tilly with her until they were both close enough for transport and right next to Spock, where he stood in front of T’Pau. “As you wish, sister.” Spock flipped open the communicator again, “Belay that Enterprise, prepare to beam three up. Live long and prosper, T’Pau.” She and Michael echoed the sentiment.

“Live long and prosper, Spock” and then T’Pau said a word in Vulcan that Tilly only just recognized as the equivalent of Michael’s human name. T’Pau only nodded at her. Spock said something suitably dramatic in response, as was his way, and they were in the transporter beam.

 

* * *

 

Tilly breathed in deeply when they materialized in the Enterprise’s main transporter room. Finally, enough oxygen to live off of. She didn’t have any time to enjoy it before Spock bolted out of the room and they were following him.

They caught up to him in sickbay, where he was rapidly explaining the new state of things on the ship to a protesting McCoy, not noticing Jim sneaking up behind him. Michael gasped, but no one else seemed to hear it. Tilly grinned, the plan had worked. If Doctor McCoy ever wanted to leave the Enterprise, he was more than welcome on her ship. Finally, Kirk couldn’t help himself and disabused Spock of his notions of a long prison sentence for murder.

At this new information, Spock exclaimed and smiled so widely Tilly couldn’t help but wonder if even Michael had seen him so elated before.It only lasted a second before he regained his composure and Tilly could see Michael from the corner of her vision settling into her more usual disposition too. She was listening intently as Kirk explained the gambit that had saved his life.

“I was only following orders, Jim,” McCoy said and then dismissed the nurse standing behind him, who left in a huff. 

“Orders? Whose orders? I don’t remember giving you any orders to fake my death.”

“Her orders. Well, she’s a Captain, isn’t she?” McCoy said, tipping his head in Tilly’s direction. Tilly stepped forward. Jim and Spock turned and finally noticed Tilly and Michael still standing by the door.

“Like I was going to let you kill each other down there so that waste of space could marry some random guy at the expense of literally _everyone_ else. I mean really, _who do you think_ _I am_?”

“I think you’re the kindest, most brilliant, and most devious soul I’ve ever befriended,” Jim said.

“Lucky for you.”

“Lucky for me you were there, though I don’t know why.”

“That was all Michael. I just put in a leave request and tried not to piss anyone off once I got there.”

“Okay, but that still doesn’t explain why Michael was there in the first place? I mean, I’ve known you two for over a decade and…” He trailed off. “How do you either of you know Spock’s family?” Jim asked.

“You mean, Spock didn’t tell you? Oh damn, I just assumed you knew…” Tilly said and looked at Michael, who she could see was still processing events, even though she was calmer. This experience had certainly brought up bad memories for her even before it had properly started, Tilly knew. It was why she’d asked Tilly to come.

“Assumed I knew what, exactly?” Jim asked.

“Jim, Michael _is_ my family. She’s my sister,” Spock finally explained. McCoy and Jim looked from Spock to Michael and back to Spock. McCoy was the first to speak.

“By adoption? Unless my knowledge of Vulcan and Human physiology is way off, and I don’t think it is, she’s Human,” McCoy said.

“You are correct Doctor, Captain Burnham is Human. She is still my sister just as much as she would be if we had been born to the same parents."

“Which means it was my right to be at my brother’s koon-ut-kal-if-fee. No one on Vulcan would question that,” Michael said, finally coming back to them entirely. Tilly relaxed, but she was going to make sure Michael had an appointment with her therapist before either of them went back to their own commands. Maybe she would arrange a jaunt to Risa, too, actually have a vacation for once.

“Right,” Tilly said, “and Michael convinced T’Pau to let me come along. I met Jim when we were at the Academy together. Michael was my roommate on my first assignment, which is how she met Jim and how I met Spock. I honestly thought we all knew about each other.” Tilly shrugged. Spock, McCoy, and Jim all pondered this. Then McCoy seemed to make up his mind about something.

“Well, this is a lovely reunion and everything. I’m very happy for you all,” he claimed contrary to his tone, “but I still want to know what I missed down there.”


	5. The One in an Alternate Universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Kirk wants to do a nice thing for Spock, but the trickiest part is getting Spock to go along with it? Takes place after the scene where Kirk is made a captain, but before they're back on the Enterprise in the 2009 Star Trek film. So, yeah, there are two Spocks. Maybe I should have mentioned that earlier?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter tags: James T. Kirk & Spock, Michael Burnham & Spock, James T. Kirk wanting James T. Kirk/Michael Burnham to happen, James T. Kirk & Spock Prime, Michael Burnham & Spock Prime. Spoilers for Season 2 of Discovery. Angst and Fluff. Cruelty to chess sets. 
> 
> AOS Spock and Kirk were way more fun to write than I expected.  
> It's feasible that Prime Spock might ask after his family, let's say after Kirk mentions he was on Vulcan, for example. Maybe on that walk to the outpost? I know he lost his planet, which is important and would take precedence, but there are personal losses to consider as well.  
> So, this supposes that Spock asked Kirk about his mother, father, and sister and Kirk only had an answer for two of them. Prime Spock probably still didn't ask about Sybok, though. Sorry, Sybok. That's your punishment for the whole Sha-Ka-Ree thing, I guess.

“Spock! Hey! Spock!” Kirk called down from the uppermost balcony of the atrium. He’d been searching for him for over an hour and was not willing to lose him again. Spock looked up at him but kept walking. He rushed down the stairs. Why were there so many of them? “Will you stop walking away from me?! Don’t make me make that an order!”Finally, Spock stopped and turned around, his hands clasped behind his back and waited on the ground floor of the atrium until Kirk finally reached him.

“What could you possibly need to discuss with me with such urgency?” Spock asked as Kirk caught his breath.

“Doyouhaveasister?” Kirk asked, still winded.

“Excuse me?”

“Do. You. Have. A. Sister?” Kirk enunciated, finally starting to breathe normally again.

“Why would you ask such a question?” Spock asked.

“It’s a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question, Spock.”

“Hypothetically, why would I introduce a sister of mine to you, considering that I am aware of your reputation?” Kirk rolled his eyes.

“What? Do you mean that I know how to show someone a good time if they ask me to? I’m not a monster, Spock. Anyway, if your hypothetical sister is anything like you, there’s nothing to worry about. She’ll probably hate me on sight. So that’s a ‘no’ on the sister?”

“I did not say that.”

“So, you do have a sister?”

“Yes and, for the record, it is not her I’d be worried about should you two meet. She is more than capable.”

“Like I said, if she’s anything like you, then I’m aware she could wipe the floor with me. But this is great, where is she? Wait, she’s still alive, right? I’m so sorry, I didn’t even think to ask.”

“She is in mourning, but otherwise undamaged. I am still at a loss as to why I should introduce you to her.”

“I don’t actually want to meet her. Wait, no. That came out wrong. I’m sure she’s at least as delightful as you are and of course I’d be happy to make her acquaintance. What I mean is, there’s someone else I think would like to see her a lot more than I ever could, but we have to do it fast because I don’t know how much longer he’ll be staying on this planet. So where is she?”

“She is on her ship in orbit. They will be helping to transport the Vulcan refugees to our new home.”

“Great, do you think you can convince her to come down here?”

“My sister and I are not close, but I will try.”

 

* * *

 

Kirk stood on his toes and craned his neck to help him see over the crowd, while Spock stood patiently beside him. He was scanning the faces around them for anyone who possibly looked like she could be Spock’s sister. Until recently, Vulcans weren’t all that common at Starfleet bases, but now he really didn’t stand a chance of spotting her by ears alone.

“She said she was on her way, right?”

“Yes, she should be with us momentarily.”

“Do you see her yet?”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“How long are you going to let him do this, Spock?” A woman’s voice asked. Wait, was she amused?

“Until he learns,” Spock said. Kirk landed flat footed on the floor and looked over at the woman who was Spock’s sister. She wasn’t anything like what he expected.

“Uh, hi.”

“Hi,” she parroted. She was Human and clearly trying not to laugh at him behind her otherwise friendly smile, ”I’m Captain Michael Burnham. You’re Captain James T. Kirk, right?” Oh geez, no wonder Spock hadn’t wanted him to meet her. He mirrored her smile.

“Yeah. I mean, that’s me. Captain Kirk. It’s nice to meet you.”

“You too, but my brother says there’s someone you want me to meet? One of the refugees?”

“Yeah, come on, he’s this way.” To Spock, he whispered, “How is she _your_ sister? Scrap that. Why does she have to be _your sister_?”

“My parents were made her legal guardians after her own honored parents passed? Why do you object to her being my sister?” Spock sounded genuinely puzzled.

“Right, yeah, that makes sense and it’s not that I object, Spock, it’s just a damn shame is all,” Kirk said, leading them into another corridor and then into a small antechamber.

"You find her attractive?"

“Please don't make this worse for me," Kirk said. "You should maybe stay out here,” he added, at a more normal volume.

“The universe will not end by my walking into that room.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do actually, I have already met the Ambassador and we are still here having this tedious conversation.”

“Oh. Right.”

“Why am I here to see our father?” Michael wondered. Kirk and Spock spoke over each other to explain.

“You are not.”

“Wrong Ambassador.”

“Alright, can we just go in already? We do not want to keep the _Ambassador_ waiting, do we?” Michael asked. Spock opened the door.

“Ambassador Spock?” Commander Spock asked.

“Did you say Ambassador Spock?” Michael asked, looking at the brother she knew. Ambassador Spock turned around and started walking toward them.

“Michael Burnham. My cherished sister, I have not seen you for one hundred twenty-nine years, nearly to the day. Yet you appear to be almost exactly as I remember you,” Ambassador Spock said. Michael looked between the two versions of her brother.

“Over one hundred years? You are a future version of my brother?” Michael asked, meeting him in the middle.

“Yes, although from an alternate universe.”

“How is this possible?” Michael asked. Both Spocks opened their mouths to explain, but Kirk beat them to the punch.

“Science. Lots and lots of science that didn’t go to plan.”

“Science? Just science? That cannot seriously be the only explanation you have?”

“Yep, just science.”

“Brother…“ Michael said. It wasn’t entirely clear who she was addressing.

“Jim is correct, though vague. I am here as a result of a scientific and diplomatic mission that went terribly wrong,” Ambassador Spock said.

“You are really my brother?” Michael asked. In response, Ambassador Spock held up his hand in the ta’al. Michael mimicked him, pressing their palms together. It was like they were children again in their home on Vulcan, if only for a moment. Michael smiled and so did Ambassador Spock. They pulled their hands away.

“You taught me that…”

“Because your hand would not cooperate, yes. Some things are indeed unchanged,” Ambassador Spock said. Then his face became serious, as though he’d remembered something grave.

“If you do not mind, will you tell me about how you came to live with our parents in this timeline? I would not typically ask, but I find it imperative to know.”

“Um, they were teaching on Vulcan until they died in a shuttle accident on the way to a Xenoanthropology conference.”

“The Klingons were not involved?”

“Klingons? No. It was an ion storm.”

“They were never stationed on Doctari Alpha?”

“No.”

“You are certain?”

“Yes.”

“Very well. I do not see the need for me to take any immediate action then.”

“Immediate action?” Kirk asked.

“It is better that you do not know. I hope you never do. I am sorry for asking you such questions, Sister. It was necessary.”

“I believe you,” Michael said. They were all silent for a long moment.

“Is it your ship taking the first group to New Vulcan?" Ambassador Spock asked.

"Yes, it is.

"I will be traveling on it, then. Perhaps, we could schedule a game of chess during the journey.”

“I would enjoy that.”

“I even promise not to break your chess set this time. It was a casualty one of the last times I played against your counterpart.”

“You mean… because you know you’re going to lose, Little Brother?”

“Well, it has been a long time since I have played chess, Sister.”

“Right, that’s the _only_ reason you could lose against me.”

 

* * *

 

When Spock was later given a box of his counterpart’s effects, rolling around in the bottom of the box under old-fashioned pictures and various data storage devices and other sundry items, he found a single chess piece. It looked familiar, but the one he knew was much newer. He picked it up and rubbed his thumb against the bottom of the piece. There he felt the irregularity of etching on the otherwise smooth surface. He looked, there were two slightly worn initials, ‘MB’. Michael Burnham. His counterpart had kept it for over a century. He didn’t have anything from Michael, not since Nero. He put the piece back in the box and started the long task of working his way through the myriad data storage, starting with one that looked the oldest and most familiar.

Sometime later, he called his sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the reboots, Kirk's personal timeline (and everyone else on the Kelvin) is arguably the most affected by Nero coming back. Spock's childhood would have been mostly unaffected. Michael's would have likely changed some too. I doubt Section 31 would be interested in the same things because a weird super advanced Romulan ship showed up and maybe the time travel suit should be tabled. That would change her parent's working lives, but that doesn't mean she still couldn't have ended up as Sarek's ward or had a falling out with Spock. Also, there may not have been a war with the Klingons, Michael's mutiny, the death of Captain Georgiou, or a super paranoid Control.  
> Anyway, it was just kind of fun to see where she could have slotted into that world.  
> Feedback is fantastic.


	6. The One After the Journey to Babel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Spock decides to tell Kirk about Michael, without ever saying her name? Takes place sometime after Journey to Babel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter tags: James T. Kirk & Spock, James T. Kirk & Michael Burnham, Michael Burnham & Spock. A little angsty. 
> 
> I'm not going to lie, I'm still a little miffed that we didn't even get one exchange of dialogue between Tilly and Spock. Like, I'd settle for a line each. That didn't happen though, which is why fanfic exists.

Spock stood outside his captain’s quarters. He had come this far, it would be illogical not to make the Captain aware of his presence now that he was in fact here. Had he not settled this course of action in his mind only seventeen minutes ago? It would not do to falter in his resolve now. He removed one hand from the box he was carrying and pressed the panel that would activate the door’s chime.

Five seconds later, he heard a muffled ‘Come in’ and the doors slid open.

“Oh, Spock, it’s you. Come in. Come in. Have a seat.” Jim said gesturing to the chair across the small table from his seat. Spock walked over and gently placed the wooden box on the table. Wordlessly, he sat.

“What’s this?” Jim asked.

“A box.”

“Yes, Spock, I can see that. I mean, why did you bring it here?”

“I brought it here to show it to you.”

“Well, it is a very nice box, Spock. Looks hand made, well constructed and finished. What’s inside of it?”

“Items of personal importance to me.”

“Okay… Spock, why would you bring a box of your keepsakes to me?”

“I intend to show some of them to you.”

“Well, then I’m honored by your trust in me.”

“I feel I must warn you that some of the items in this box may be upsetting to you,” Spock said, watching as Jim’s curiosity was obscured by confusion.

“I can’t think of any reason why that would be the case, but very well. Consider me warned,” Jim said, smiling now. Spock carefully lifted the lid of the box, setting it to the side, making a note to consider adding hinges and a latch to the box. On top was a small stack of pictures on actual paper. Most of them had been given to him by his mother last time he’d gone home. He passed by the most recent of the old-fashioned pictures, some of them were just group shots of the current crew of the ship until he got back to the ones that were taken during his time on Discovery.

“It’s just a picture, Spock. Say cheese and we can move on.” He remembered Michael saying.

“This crew is overly sentimental and I do not see the point in indulging you all further,” He’d said.

“Really? That’s what you’re going with? We riske—” Michael had asked.

“Come on Spock. Maybe I’ll put it in my Ready Room,” Captain Pike had said. He stood for the picture. He did not say ‘cheese’.

He laid the picture on the desk. Now that he’d started, it was easier. He picked out items from the box and laid them on the table, fanning them out so that they could easily be seen and orienting them toward Jim. There was a picture just of Michael, Tilly and himself, taken by Tilly in Discovery’s transporter room. He was in his EV suit and the two of them were in uniform. Michael was smiling bravely in it for Tilly’s sake because they were just about to beam down to Essof IV. The smile didn’t reach her eyes and he’d always suspected that Tilly had given it to him as some sort of punishment.

He skipped the two crew pictures he had from Pike’s tenure commanding Enterprise and arrived at the ones that had been taken on Vulcan. He passed over the one his mother had taken of him the day he left to join Starfleet in favor of the one where Michael had left for the Shenzhou. They were all four together, it had been taken by one of his father’s aides in deference to the wishes of the Ambassador’s wife. Only his mother was smiling, though there were unshed tears in her eyes.

The strength and variety of his mother’s emotions from just before Michael’s graduation until he himself had left home had surprised both he and his sister. She’d been angry, disappointed, frustrated, and deeply sad. All while reassuring her children that she loved them and she was proud of them, no matter if the world they lived in saw their value or not. Those months contained one of the few times he could remember his mother raising her voice to Father in anger and eventually Father had even increased the volume of his voice, even still neither he nor Michael could understand what was said.

He laid the picture on the table along with the one that had been taken before Michael’s graduation ceremony, although he was not present for it. There were also his graduation pictures from school on Vulcan and Starfleet, but he did not put them out. The final two he laid out were from when they were just children. There was one of Michael and himself with I-Chaya. Michael looked a little dubious about the sehlat, but she had grown to like him eventually. This picture was taken so soon after her arrival that her hair was still in the fashion she’d kept it in while her parents were alive. The last one he put on the table was one of his mother, Michael, and himself before Michael’s first day at The Learning Center.

Under the pictures, there were eight microrecords. They contained his encrypted logs pertaining to his sister, records of the smattering of correspondence he had with members of his family, and the sheet music to pieces he’d composed and recordings of some of them. His hand paused over the one that had on it every version of the messages Michael had left for him in case of her death. Some had been sent to him, legitimately if mistakenly, and others he’d acquired through means of dubious legality. Messages like these were common for Starfleet officers to have sent to friends and family, due to the dangerous nature of the job. Michael was just more fastidious in updating hers than most. There was one from when she’d joined Starfleet, one from her time in prison, one from after she’d regained her commission, one dated just before Essof IV, and a final one from before she’d found out he intended to join her in the future. He’d watched them all in the one hundred and twenty-eight days that had elapsed between her departure and her signal.

He continued beyond them, now at the bottom of the box. There were a few trinkets, but he ultimately decided not to take them out. One was a single, slightly scuffed chess piece and the other was a small bracelet with wooden beads. He’d purloined the former when he had taken Michael’s damaged—by him in his rage at her and everything else in the universe—chess set away and presented her with a new one. Even with Tilly’s help, they still hadn’t found all the pieces to the old set, excluding his theft. The latter was from the time their mother insisted they take part in a human tradition she called ‘Arts and Crafts’. Michael had made him what she had termed a ‘Friendship Bracelet’. He wondered, not for the first time, if she’d taken the matching one he’d made with her or if it was still in her room on Vulcan. He hadn’t looked for it the last time he’d been home four years ago. Her room was kept as a shrine by their parents, walking in there felt like suffocating.

He resettled the remaining objects in the box and sat back. For the first time since he had started, he looked at Jim. Neither of them had said a word the entire time.

“I don’t understand… I don’t even know where to start,” Jim said.

Spock waited. Jim always found something to say, eventually. “Is this you, in this picture? You knew all these people and you didn’t tell me?” He asked, pointing to the group shot of some of Discovery’s senior staff and bridge crew.

“Yes,” Spock said. Jim looked down at the picture, studying it intently. Spock prepared for an emotional outburst from him.

“You look different with a beard. I mean, I saw your counterpart from another universe with a goatee. A full beard though…” Jim said. 

Spock hadn’t expected that at all. “As you can see, I chose not to keep it.”

“Honestly, I could live with the beard, but you did need a bit of a haircut.”

Spock wasn’t sure what to make of this. “Is my personal grooming all you wish to discuss?”

“No, of course not. I knew all—well, most of these people too, Spock. It’s just hard to take in. Is this Michael when she was younger? And your parents? How did she know your family? Wait, is that a sehlat? You weren’t exaggerating about the fangs. Not that you would.”

Clearly, the Captain was having some trouble organizing his thoughts. Perhaps, he should have explained each image as he laid them out. “She was a ward of my father’s from age eleven onwards.”

“Oh, so she was your…”

“My sister, yes.”

“Sister, right. I can see that, actually. Some things make more sense now.”

“Really?” He couldn’t imagine why that would be. Had Michael mentioned having a brother to Jim at some point?

“Yes, you remind me of her sometimes.”

That wasn’t what Spock had anticipated either. “My sister and I were never that similar.”

“It’s just little things Spock, mannerisms, patterns of speech, that sort of thing. Now that I know, it seems obvious that you two grew up in the same house.”

“Does it?”

“Yes, for example, you tilt your head and raise an eyebrow at me in almost exactly the same way she did. Although, she sometimes smiled afterward.”

It was time to change the subject now. “I was expecting a display of more negative emotions from this revelation.”

“Yes, I could be angry with you or hurt, betrayed, et cetera. I'm not. Right now, I’m just awed. Three of my favorite people knew each other all along. You know, if Bones finds out... I'm not saying he will, mind you. He’d be very upset. He’s the odd man out.”

“I hadn’t considered that,” Spock replied. He tried not to feel _anything_ at his sister’s inclusion on Jim’s list of favorite people. He was mostly successful.

“Can you answer me one thing?” Jim asked.

Spock knew there would be more than one question. “I’ll try.”

“What happened to them?” Jim asked.

Spock considered his answer carefully. “My sister came into possession of some very dangerous information. There were certain forces who wanted to use this information against everyone, absolutely everyone. To prevent them from acquiring it, she had to go very far away. No one would ever see her again. Discovery wasn’t willing to let her go alone, neither was I. However, I was forced to stay behind.”

“That sounds like one of Tilly’s ideas.”

“She did lead the movement on board to accompany my sister on her journey.”

“So, they’re alive?”

“Yes.”

“Good. One last thing, Spock?” Jim asked.

It would never be the last thing, Spock knew, even if the flow of questions ceased for a little while. “Yes?”

“What did Tilly think of you?”

“She did not like me at first. She mostly avoided me. My sister and I had a falling out some years previous to my arrival on Discovery, that colored her view of me considerably.” He determinately did not think of her reaction to their plan to trap Dr. Burnham.

“Ah, yeah, she could be protective.”

“Quite the understatement. Eventually, we found common ground in our belief that my sister shouldn’t leave by herself.”

“You mean it wasn’t your considerable charm that did it? Why Spock, I’m shocked.”

Spock didn’t deign to reply.

“Ah, well, her loss I suppose,” Jim said. He got up and went to the other side of the half wall and screen in his quarters. He came back with a small case. “Well, as long as we’re doing a show and tell, I thought I’d share.”


	7. The One Where Georgiou Accidentally Neros Herself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She’d made it back only a year after she’d left. She’d done it. Hopefully, Discovery wouldn’t be far behind. She was pretty sure she had a concussion and needed treatment, even though she didn’t want to deal with Discovery’s snarky medical crew.
> 
> She waited.
> 
> \---
> 
> What if Georgiou and Discovery leave the future at the same time but Georgiou returns nine years before Discovery does?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Tags: James T. Kirk & Spock, James T. Kirk & Michael Burnham, James T. Kirk & Sylvia Tilly, Spock & Michael Burnham, Mirror Philippa Georgiou & Michael Burnham, Mirror Philippa Georgiou & Ash Tyler | Voq, Past Michael Burnham/Ash Tyler | Voq. Blood, head injuries, concussion, time travel. 
> 
> The title is referencing the events of the Star Trek (2009) film, although it has really nothing to do with anything else in the movies. This takes place one year after Discovery leaves and then six months before the events of The Tholian Web.  
> Georgiou having access to the Defiant's logs is an interesting thing because they actually have information up through season three of TOS. So, I wondered, what if she'd had a copy on her person when she got brought to the Prime universe? Or she was able to work with the one Discovery had? She'd know all sort of interesting things.

Philippa Georgiou was slumped over her console when she regained consciousness. As she pulled herself up, she saw her blood splattered across the touch display and reached up to touch her forehead. It looked worse than it felt, at least to her hand. Her head was pounding and everything was blurred. Eventually, she came back to herself enough to check the readouts.

She’d made it back only a year after she’d left. She’d done it. Hopefully, Discovery wouldn’t be far behind. She was pretty sure she had a concussion and needed treatment, even though she didn’t want to deal with Discovery’s snarky medical crew.

She waited.

She waited right up until a ship uncloaked dead ahead of her shuttle. They hailed. Audio only.

“Unidentified shuttle, please explain your presence in this area,” a voice she was sure she recognized said.

“Agent Tyler?” She asked, answering the hail on the third try.

“Captain Georgiou? How the hell did you get here? Wher—“

“Tyler, I don’t have time for pleasantries. I need medical treatment. Beam me over and I’ll explain everything.”

  
  
Later, after she’d been beamed to Sickbay and was being forced to rest on one of the damnably uncomfortable bio-beds a shadow fell over her.

“You want to explain what’s going on now? Where’s Michael? Where’s Discovery?” The shadow belonged to Tyler.

She opened her eyes. “I’ll tell you, but you’re not going to like it.”

  


* * *

  


“Spock I can’t just let you go out there alone.”

“You must Captain.”

“No, I forbid it and I want to know what’s going on. First, we’re ordered off course to this sector. Second, you’re ordered to take a shuttle to this system. Now, you’re to leave this shuttle alone on a planet with only a set of coordinates to lead you to whoever has issued these orders? I don’t even know who at Command is doing this. I either go with you or you don’t go at all.”

“If you insist, Captain. I must warn you however, that who you see down there will not be who they appear to be.”

“Like that’s the first time that has happened to me, let’s just get this over with,” Kirk responded and began landing procedures.

  
  
Captain Kirk only slightly regretted his insistence on coming along when he saw how far up the hilly terrain they were supposed to go.  
  


It was past sunset when they arrived at the coordinates.

“Two life signs up ahead, Captain,” Spock reported, shutting off his tricorder.

“Just as promised then,” Kirk said, he squinted. Was he imagining things or was there a figure sitting on a rocky outcropping up ahead?

Kirk and Spock approached the rocks and it was indeed a Human woman sitting on them, as though they were a throne. The rocks were covered with a luminescent vine which barely illuminated the area. Standing to the side in the shadows was a man who he also did not recognize. The man looked at them briefly and turned around to look again at the darkening sky.

“I thought I told you to come alone, Commander Spock?” The woman asked.

“You did. I, however, was overruled. Him being my captain still outweighs your authority over me, as I’m sure you’re aware.”

“You all have so many annoying rules to follow. So, this is the famous Captain James T. Kirk,” she said, not leaving the rocks.

“I’d greet you, but I have no idea who either of you are,” he said. Her face did look familiar, but…

“Captain Philippa Georgiou,” she said.

“Not possible, she’s dead.” That was why she looked familiar, but there was no chance it was her.

“You’re very sure of yourself.”

“That’s how I got this job. You’re no more the Captain Georgiou who was at the Battle of the Binary Stars than I am the Captain Kirk who ordered the Halkans destroyed.” He saw Spock turn to look at him from the corner of his eye, but he wasn’t looking away from Georgiou.

“You were about this much fun where I come from, too,” Georgiou said with a sigh. “I believe you are familiar with what you all have delightfully termed the Mirror Universe?”

“One of the worse places I’ve been in my career.”

“I don’t doubt that. I read your report. It seems to have gone downhill since I am not around to run it. My departure was the end of a golden age.”

“You were the former emperor?” Spock asked. He said it as though several things made more sense to him now.

“It used to be people had to address me as Her most Imperial Majesty, Mother of the Fatherland, Overlord of Vulcan, Dominus of Qo’nos, Regina Andor, Philippa Georgiou Augustus Iaponius Centarius or I cut out their tongues," she smirked before continuing, "or worse. People have no manners anymore. It’s just Captain Philippa Georgiou now.” She spat out the word ‘captain’ as if it were a grave insult.

“Yes, I can see how that would be a difficult adjustment for you,” Kirk couldn’t help but say.

Georgiou sent him a withering look.

“Why did you order me to come here?” Spock asked.

“In just over six months time, the Federation will lose a ship. It will end up a century in the past in my home universe. As Emperor, I had unfettered access to all of its logs and data. It’s been very… useful to me over the years since I brought them with me when I departed my home.”

“Fascinating. I admit I was expecting him to be here.” Spock said tilting his head toward the man, but the man didn’t move. “I had thought you were very much away. I’d expected you’d never be seen again, actually.”

“I’m good at my job and I came back.”

“I thought that was impossible.”

“Really? So many years in Starfleet haven’t taught you not to rule out options prematurely? You disappoint me, Spock.”

“Have you two met before?” Kirk asked. He felt like he was losing his grip on this situation.

“Yes, Captain,” Spock answered.

“I see. Well, then why did you want him here, Captain Georgiou?”

“Nine years ago an anomaly appeared over this planet and tonight it will again. Just over there,” she said pointing at the clear and starry night sky to her left. It happened to be where the man was still looking. “You can already see the haze from it.” She paused and smirked. “Well, if you have Terran or perhaps even Klingon eyes you can.”

“What happened the last time it appeared?” Kirk asked.

“I traveled through it to this place.”

“What happens this time?”

  


* * *

  


“Sensors report that we have arrived in the 23rd century, approximately in the year 2268,” Rhys said.

“That still doesn’t tell us where we are,” Saru said.

“We appear to be over an M-Class planet near Federation-Klingon border. Closest known inhabited world at this time is Organia, sir. There are no— wait, I’m reading four life signs down on the planet. Three Humans and one Human-Vulcan hybrid.” Owosekun reported.

“Standard Orbit, Detmer. Any communicator signals or weapons, Owosekun?”

“Four of each, sir.”

“Bryce, as soon as we’re in range, hail the one closest to the Human-Vulcan hybrid.”

“Aye, sir.”

  


* * *

  


On the planet the four had watched the bright light appear and dissipate in the night sky, leaving what looked like an extra star to the naked eye, but it appeared to be moving too quickly for that. Whatever it was had entered orbit.

Spock’s communicator chirped and now everyone else was looking at him as he held the communicator up.

“Well, answer it.” Georgiou and Jim looked at each other. They’d spoken at the same time.

Spock flipped open the grille.

“This is the USS Discovery. Please identify yourselves.”

Spock stared at the communicator for a second before responding to the Communications officer. Bryce, that was his name, Spock remembered. “This is Commander Spock of the USS Enterprise.”

“It is good to hear from you again, Mr. Spock. Who are your companions?” Saru was now speaking through the comm channel.

“Captain James T. Kirk also of the USS Enterprise, Captain Philippa Georgiou, and Captain Ash Tyler.”

“Standby, Mr. Spock.”

The connection closed.

“Did he really say the USS Discovery?” Jim asked.

“He absolutely did,” Georgiou answered. The pleased expression on her face was quite disconcerting.

“How could this be possible?” Spock felt as confused as Jim sounded.

Georgiou looked at Spock. “Don’t worry so much. There’s no threat to them returning. The ship had disposed of all of its dangerous cargo before I even left it. They’re just late is all. This is what I get for volunteering to go through the anomaly before them. More the fool I.”

“You knew they were coming back and didn’t say anything?” Spock tamped down a flicker of anger before it could get anywhere.

Jim was eyeing him warily. He never liked it when it became clear neither of them was very well informed about a situation they found themselves in.

“That’s the thing about having prior knowledge of events. If you tell anyone, you risk losing your advantage,” Captain Georgiou said, theatrically looking at her nails in the dim light.

They were interrupted then by the sound and light of a transporter beam and they all turned in its direction. All four shielded their eyes, first from the beam and then from the lights on the three uniformed officers' shoulders. After their eyes adjusted a little, it became clear that the three newcomers were holding phasers.

“Good showing, but put those down. No one’s here to harm you,” Georgiou said, she sounded proud and hurt at the same time.

The three officers did lower their weapons and holstered them.

“Philippa? Spock? It’s really you?” One of them asked looking at the faces in the group.

“Michael?” Spock asked.

“Wait. Holy shit, Jim, what the hell are you doing here and why did no one mention that?”

“Tilly? Is that really you?”

“Yeah, it’s me,” Tilly said, walking to him and wrapping him in a tight hug. He hugged her back.

Spock backed away a little from the emotional display happening right next to him. Were there any female officers in Starfleet Jim did not know personally? He knew that was hyperbole, but sometimes it didn't seem to be hyperbole.

“I can’t believe it, I thought you were gone for good,” Jim said.

“So did I, actually.” She pulled back and looked at him. “You’re not as skinny as I remember you being and… You made Captain. Oh my god, this is so unfair.”

“It’s been ten years, Tilly.”

Michael walked up to where Spock had moved to, though he was still observing Jim and Tilly's reunion. “Brother,” she said and Spock’s attention snapped to her.

“Sister,” he said. “It has been too long and still it has been less time than I anticipated.”

“You look different,” she said, studying him. Then she smiled. “I know what it is, you lost the beard.”

Spock shrugged. “It itched.”

“You know, I take back what I said. You should have kept the beard. The less of yo—“

“Spock, she’s your sister?” Jim interrupted.

“Indeed.”

“You mean you let m—“

“Quite so.”

Jim’s mouth hung open and then it snapped shut. Spock could tell he was mulling over something, then his expression cleared. Spock braced himself for whatever Jim was going to do next.

“Michael, it’s good to see you again.” He said and walked closer to her.

“It’s good to see you, too,” she said and they hugged.

Spock hadn’t been expecting that.

  
  
Nhan sidled over to Georgiou and Tyler. Georgiou was still watching from her perch. Burnham was looking up at her brother and they were speaking in low tones. Every so often they looked over at Tilly and Kirk. Burnham smiled and Spock shrugged.

“Saccharine aren’t they?” Georgiou asked with disgust.

“They all know each other?”

“More or less, yes.”

“And he’s Captain of the Enterprise now? What happened to Pike?”

Georgiou shrugged, “He moved on. It had to happen sometime. People get older and don’t want to run a starship. Where I’m from that usually means they die.”

Nhan looked at her with alarm and Georgiou sighed, “No, he’s not dead.”

“Oh.” Nhan looked back just in time to see Kirk scoop Burnham up in a hug that lifted her off her feet to the apparent bewilderment of Spock.

“I hope he doesn’t try that with me.”

“I doubt it. He probably would if you ask though. He seems the type.”

“He’s not _my_ type.”

“He’s not Michael’s either, and yet…” Georgiou waved her hand as if to say, ‘here we are’.

“He’s a friend of Tilly’s,” Tyler explained. “I didn’t think they were that close though.”

Georgiou scoffed. “He’s just proving a point to his first officer. Don’t let jealousy cloud your perspective.”

“ _You’re_ lecturing _me_ about jealousy?” Tyler was radiating incredulity. “You are _the pettiest_ and _most jealous_ person I’ve _ever_ met in _all_ of my life.”

“And I’m still your boss,” Georgiou said, but she didn’t dispute him. “Let’s go break up the party.” She stood up, taking Tyler up on the hand he held out to her. Well, she was ten years older, Nhan remembered.

  
  
“We’ve seriously been gone for ten years?” Tilly asked as Jim let go of Michael. “Someone could have mentioned that before we beamed down. How am I… How are we all supposed to go back to the rest of our lives now?”

“Starfleet has protocols for these instances. If you desire to resume your careers, you will be credited for time served away, given training on new technologies and regulations, and any inactive time will not count against you. Additionally, you would under no circumstances be allowed to use any future knowledge against the Federation,” Spock said. “All that would be needed to start the process would be a visit to a Starbase. Any technologies you brought back with you are another matter, which I suspect is one of the reasons Captains Georgiou and Tyler are here.”

“Good thing we actually brought back less technology than we took with us,” Michael muttered.

“Indeed.”

Georgiou walked toward them. “Well, Michael, don’t I get a hug, too? What about you, Red?”

Tilly shifted behind Jim and himself ever so slightly, Spock noticed.

“Philippa,” Michael replied, but she didn’t move except to look at Captain Tyler. “Ash,” she said, “from what I’ve heard, it’s been a long time.”

“Yeah. Yeah, it really has,” Tyler said breathlessly. Spock had some knowledge regarding their previous romance. He hadn’t expected that Tyler would still be so affected.

“Ugh. Just kiss and get it over with. Or don’t. I don’t care,” Georgiou said with every appearance of caring a great deal and pretending not to. “Just don’t stand there and simper at each other, especially not on my time. We still have a job to do, namely cataloging and taking any fun future technology you’ve brought back. Not that I expect a lot.”

“Why? You would know we don’t have any that hadn’t been brought back previously by you,” Michael said.

“Appearances are important, Michael. Have you learnt nothing from me?”

Michael gave her an incredulous look. “Why would I ever do that?”

“Such an ungrateful child.”

Michael sighed. “See how she treats me?” Georgiou said addressing the air.

“Well, to be fair, she’s not actually your daughter, boss,” Tyler said.

“I’m not so old that I don’t remember.”

“Uh huh,” Tyler said.

“You’re living dangerously today,” Georgiou retorted, her eyes narrowed, but there was something akin to pride there.

“Spock, what the hell is going on?” Jim whispered.

“I’ll explain later, Captain.”

“Please do,” Jim said before flipping open his communicator. “Kirk to Discovery. We’re going to need a beam out. Five to your ship and two to a shuttle on the surface, if you could oblige.”

“Certainly, Captain. If you’ll all separate into the indicated groups, we’ll initiate transport on your signal. I assume you’d like to rendezvous with our ship via your shuttle.”

“Yes. Then, Discovery can rendezvous with the Enterprise and we’ll escort you to the nearest Starbase, agreed?”

“That is acceptable, Captain. Discovery is on standby.”

“Thank you, Discovery. Kirk out.” He closed the communicator. Everyone, including Spock, was staring at him. “What?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anybody else want the Section 31 show to be kind of a buddy cop thing with Georgiou and Tyler only being marginally successful in all their missions? Oh, okay. Just me. That's cool.


	8. The One Where Spock Doesn't Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The One Where Spock Doesn't Remember He Never Told Kirk About His Sister or What if Kirk doesn't find out about Michael until Spock's conversation with Sarek at the end of Star Trek IV?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter tags: James T. Kirk/Spock, Spock & Michael Burnham, James T. Kirk & Sylvia Tilly, Michael Burnham/Sylvia Tilly. A lot of petty sibling bickering and Old Married Spirk.

Jim tried to give Gillian his full attention, but it was difficult as Spock carried on forward without him toward Ambassador Sarek. He made a joke about not knowing Gillian’s telephone number and she gave him a glancing kiss on the cheek. Which gave him a full view of Spock approaching Sarek. A woman in a Starfleet uniform met him before he could finally reach his father and to Jim’s complete shock, smiling widely the whole time she spoke, Spock nodded, and she threw her arms around him in a hug. 

He stood there frozen as Gillian walked away, nearly unheeded by him and got the third—forth, maybe, he’d lost count now — shock of the day when Spock slowly, cautiously hugged the woman back. The woman laid her head on Spock’s chest and Jim’s heart seized. Until now, he thought he knew everyone on the short list of people Spock would allow to hug him and everyone on the even shorter list who he would hug back. Who the hell was she? Why was Spock allowing this? Who was she to Spock? His eyes flicked over to Sarek and, oh for Heaven’s sake, he had the same expression on his face that Spock did when he was desperately trying to suppress a smile and very nearly failing. Jim had seen that one far too many times over the years not to recognize it, even on a different face than usual.

It was a bit comforting that Sarek apparently knew the woman and that Spock recognized her even if Jim didn’t know her from the proverbial Eve. Spock’s memory was better than it had been, but it was still awfully hit and miss. Jim was vigilant about noticing any signs of improvement. Spock still wasn’t quite himself, which meant that James T. Kirk wasn’t quite James T. Kirk either. He’d take it though. He’d take anything with Spock. It was a hell of a lot better than the alternative.

Spock and the woman pulled away from each other and Jim’s feet were finally taking marching orders again, but he was reluctant to get too close. Sarek was still there and he didn’t want to interrupt any moment between father and son. His curiosity and, yes, jealousy could wait a little while.

 

* * *

 

“Michael? Father?” Spock said as he approached. Michael couldn’t suppress a grin anymore. She walked over to her brother.

“Spock, I’m sorry I haven’t been able to see you until now,” Michael said.

“It is illogical to apologize for something that couldn’t be helped,” Spock replied.

“Of course. May we indulge in a Human ritual when family members have not seen each other for a long time?”

“Which one?” 

“A hug?” Michael asked, tentatively.

Spock nodded and Michael fairly threw her arms around her brother and was relieved when she felt his arms encircle her back. “Don’t die on me again. It’s not allowed,” she said.

“You died first. Twice, if the records and Father are correct.”

“Yeah, that was a ‘do as I say, not as I do’ thing. Big sisters are entitled to that.”

“You are 20.23 centimeters shorter than I am.”

“Not what I meant, Spock. The phrase refers to our ages. You got a new body, so I’m a lot older than you now,” she teased then pulled back and looked at his face as he dropped his arms, “and you knew that,” she said with annoyance.

“Indeed, I did.”

Michael sighed.

“My children,” Sarek said with a hint of reproach. “I am leaving for Vulcan in less than an hour. You may resume your perennial squabbling then.” She moved to her brother’s side and caught a glimpse of Spock’s former-or-maybe-current-it-was-hard-to-keep-track captain. He looked like he was going to be ill. She turned her attention back to her brother and father.

Spock thanked Sarek for his effort and Michael swallowed her half-hearted complaints about how much Sarek had interceded on Spock’s behalf. She knew Sarek cared for them both deeply, he even occasionally dared to show it in his way, to the point that Humans would call it paternal love and Vulcans would look askance. She was overjoyed her brother was alive again. She was extremely grateful that Spock and his rescuers didn’t have to find out first hand the limited hospitality of Federation penal colonies, she really was. Part of her though wanted to needle him about how he had, however unwittingly and unwillingly, complicated Federation and Klingon relations. That’d have to wait though, she didn’t want to kick him if he was still as down in the memory department as their parents’ had claimed. She barely, barely suppressed an eye roll when Sarek mentioned Spock joining Starfleet. Did Spock ever find out why Father had objected? Apparently not, she realized as the conversation continued. She felt a rush of sisterly affection as Spock called his crewmates friends. He’d made friends, finally. 

“Do either of you have a message for your mother?” Sarek asked.

“Yes,” they answered simultaneously and looked at each other. She gestured for Spock to answer first.

“Tell her… I feel fine.”

“My ship is stopping at Vulcan in three weeks, tell her to expect my visit,” she said. If Spock could admit he felt fine, then maybe he could also take some gentle ribbing as well.

Oh, hell, Jim thought glumly. The woman could do the ta’al like she’d been born doing it. She made it look effortless. He damn near had to arrange his fingers with his other hand, unless he had warning and Bones had the special adhesive or Spock helped. Then Sarek walked away and the two of them continued talking. Jim walked to them. He started to catch their conversation in the almost empty council chamber.

“—you nearly started a war with the Klingons, or so I hear.”

“That was not my intention and as the Federation President said, I am not truly responsible for the actions of my friends, however much I am willing to take the blame along with them.”

“It never is intentional,” the woman said ruefully. “Do you suppose we’re about even for commandeering ships and mutiny now?”

“I would have to examine our service records to make that determination. You may have been busy while I was… indisposed.”

“Ha, says the guy who had to be fished out of the bay after crash landing in a _commandeered_ Klingon ship.”

“You actually served ti—”

“That was expunged.”

“Yes, I’d guess we’re roughly equal then, provided you have stayed out of trouble.” Spock noticed him then, “Jim, are you alright?”

“I’m a Captain again. Of course, I’m alright,” he claimed.

“You are pleased to be demoted?” The woman asked. 

“Greatest day of my life,” he said. 

Spock raised an eyebrow at him. “Okay, fifth greatest. Top ten, at least,” he corrected himself and was relieved, ever so slightly when Spock’s eyebrow lowered and he nodded. “I don’t believe I’ve met your… friend, Spock. Aren’t you going to introduce us?” His fingers gripped Spock’s covered wrist proprietorially. He couldn’t help it. He didn’t often have cause to feel jealous where Spock was concerned, but when he did, it was all the worse for the infrequency. It took him by surprise every time. People other than him found Spock attractive or incredibly interesting often enough, but Spock rarely allowed them to touch him let alone hug them back.

“You haven’t?” Spock asked. 

“Seriously, Spock? Not this _again_. I’m sorry about him. Kadiith.” She shrugged. “I’m Captain Michael Burnham.” She held out a hand and he took it for a handshake.

“Captain James T. Kirk, but you already knew that from earlier, I’m sure.” Oh, he’d missed being a captain. It sounded so perfect. Current uncertainty aside, he was overjoyed. Getting Spock back, getting back to what he was good at, it was all almost too much. Now, to deal with the fly in the proverbial ointment. “I’ve heard about you, in general terms. You’ve had an interesting career,” he added. At the beginning of his career, you couldn’t help but know the name ‘Michael Burnham.’

“Very diplomatic of you to put it that way,” she said. “I believe you also know a dear friend of mine, Sylvia Tilly.” 

Spock looked at him questioningly. “Yes, I’m afraid we fell out of touch many years ago,” he said. “I never figured out how to resume contact.”

She looked at him with a smirk. “From experience, I can tell you ‘hello’ generally works, especially with Tilly.”

“You know Sylvia Tilly?” Spock asked him.

“You remember her?” Michael asked Spock before he could reply.

“Yes,” Spock said simply. “She is important to you, is she not?”

“Well, yes, but that doesn’t mean she’s necessarily important to you,” Michael replied.

“A brother is allowed to take an interest in people he suspects will show up at the family dinner table with his sister,” Spock said and Jim felt his brain catch on the word ‘sister’.

“That’d be more applicable if we’d had a family dinner since 2249, Spock.”

Spock looked a bit pleased with himself. “Ah, yes, the night before you left for the Shenzhou with Father, but I was speaking metaphorically.”

“Ah, so you admit it. You can speak metaphorically and pay attention to me. Well done, Brother,” Michael said. 

Neither of them noticed all the conflicting emotions afflicting Jim. He felt like he was about to explode. He was a captain again. Spock was remembering more of his life. He missed Tilly and their simple easy friendship with sudden ferocity. Michael Burnham was somehow Spock’s sister? Thank god she was his sister. Spock’s unrelenting secrecy about his family was well known to him. He hadn’t found out about Spock’s familial link to T’Pau until Spock had been recovering on Vulcan.

He’d deal with the confusion first, now that he thought he could get a word in edgewise. “You’re his sister? I… Why didn’t anyone mention you have a sister, Spock? I just spent three months living in your parents’ house. There were no pictures, nothing.”

Michael smirked. “We have no family photos on display in areas of the house you were permitted to be in, Jim,” Spock said. 

It was true. If one walked through the house, a person would be forgiven for thinking it was inhabited by the least photographed family in the Federation. That was decidedly untrue, based on the notoriety of the family as a whole and the existence of Amanda’s photo collection, but she’d only shown him some childhood pictures of Spock. 

“Well, at least I know no one snooped in my old room,” Michael said.

“I did,” Spock said. “Mother thought it might be helpful in my recovery. Consider it payback for the time Captain Pike allowed you to invade my quarters on the Enterprise.” 

Jim noted the new recollection. Well, it was new to him.

“You knew about that?” Michael asked.

“You stole my tablet, of course, I knew.”

“I was collecting information about an important mission.”

“You broke into my personal logs.”

“For the good of _all sentient life in the universe_ , of course, I did.”

“You did not know that at the time. Are you claiming that the ends eventually justified your means?”

“Are we standing here? Then yes, I am.”

Jim was struck by the realization that Bones was going to get a kick out of this. He’d have to get everyone in the same room before Michael left. He looked around. The council chamber was empty, completely empty except for guards who didn’t need this sort of gossip. 

“Spock, Captain Burnham, maybe we should continue this somewhere else?” He suggested. “Before they throw us out.”

“You are quite correct, Jim,” Spock said, noticing the empty room.

“Shall we?” He asked.

As they walked out Michael said, “You can call me Michael, you know. It is—”

“Well, then, you can call me Jim.”

“—only appropriate, since you’re basically my brother-in-law.”

“Basically?” Spock questioned. 

“Oh, you know, bureaucracy and their paperwork,” Jim deflected. He hadn’t actually talked to Spock about the full extent of their relationship yet. He didn’t want to push. Which was ironic, given the way he now was holding onto Spock and not letting go as they began to leave. It was clear that Spock was going to be asking some questions as soon as they were by themselves again. 

They exited the chamber and as they reached the end of the outer corridor a head popped out from around the corner and loudly said ‘boo’. He jumped.

“Tilly?” He asked. Her face was older than he remembered, the rank insignia on her uniform was equal to his own, and her hair had far more gray, but her kind smile and sense of humor had clearly not changed. 

“Hi Jim…and Spock,” she said, only a bit sheepish. He released Spock’s wrist and held out his arms. She hugged him. It was like being a cadet or an ensign or a junior lieutenant again. He’d missed her so much. “You’re not allowed to not talk to me again after this.”

“So long as you don’t disappear for years again, it’s a deal.”

“I’ll do my best, but no promises.” She pulled away and took Michael’s hand. They began walking again. One pair hand in hand and the other much closer than strictly necessary. As they exited the building and found the rest of Jim and Spock’s friends milling about and waiting for them, Tilly said: “Hey, Jim, welcome to the family. It’s about time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kadiith - what is, is


	9. The One That Starts at a Bar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if Jim and Michael meet at a bar?  
> This is set somewhere toward the end of Star Trek Beyond. 
> 
> Please read the chapter notes for warnings (nothing too bad, I hope. I just want to clarify some things).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter tags and warnings: This story does not have any James T. Kirk/Michael Burnham though there are some brief references to that potentiality and there's a bed involved at one point. It does end with James T. Kirk/Spock and James T. Kirk Prime/Spock Prime is mentioned throughout. Past Spock/Uhura is mentioned. Additionally, there's consumption of alcohol, talk of sperm donation, repopulating the Vulcan species, unconventional in-vitro fertilization, and unconventional gestation via artificial means. No, not mpreg. We're talking an external bio-mechanical device here, just to be clear.

Jim found a seat at the bar easily enough and wished he wasn’t here by himself. Spock had, unsurprisingly, turned down his offer immediately, but Bones had been willing to come along with him. However, Jim was not the sort of asshole who would begrudge his friend for blowing him off because said friend’s daughter was going to be able to comm him. As far as Jim was concerned, the more Bones got to talk to Joanna the better.

He got the bartender’s attention as he perched on the stool and ordered a beer and a couple of shots straight up. As he waited he looked around, but he only got as far as looking at the person on his left before the effort was abandoned. It only took a couple of seconds after that before he was caught staring.

“May I help you?” The woman asked.

Jim snorted. “Probably not, but I’d love to see you try.” He turned and thanked the bartender as his beer and shots were set down in front of him. He drank the shots first, feeling the burn and then the warmth settle into his stomach. “So what brings a beautiful woman like yourself to a place like this?”

 

 

Michael contemplated her answer. She was almost certain that this man was Captain James Kirk and therefore she needed to be more cautious than usual in her answers. Unfortunately, she was on her second drink and generally unused to alcohol.

“You think I’m beautiful?” That was not what she had meant to ask.

“Sweetheart, I think you’re gorgeous.” He took a long sip of his drink. “And you’re not answering my question.”

“I’m visiting my baby brother while he’s on leave.”

“You waiting on him?”

“He... I thought he’d want to see me, but I guess not.”

“Yeah, I know that feeling.”

Michael looked curiously at him. She would not have expected the Enterprise’s captain to be so used to any sort of rejection.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. You know if I’m going to spill my guts to you, I should at least know your name. And I should be very drunk.” He ordered another shot and downed it as soon as it arrived.

“Michael.”

“I’m Jim. But Micheal, huh? That’s unusual. I like it. You go by Mike or anything?”

“No, Mike was my father.”

Jim laughed again, but it was a warm friendly sound, not mocking in the slightest. “Gotta love a dry sense of humor.” He’d finished his beer and signaled for another

“I was being serious.”

“No shit. Well, Michael, it’s nice to meet you… Actually, have I met you before? You seem so familiar. It’s almost like I recognize your face and there’s something else…” he trailed off and he squinted as he tried to figure it out. “Something like ‘cherished ko-kai’? Ring any bells?”

Not with you, Michael thought.

“Not really,” she lied.

“Huh, still feel like I can trust you. It’s weird.” He shook his head and they lapsed into silence as they drank.

“You were speaking of rejection,” Michael prompted after an indeterminate amount of time.

“Yeah. It’s my... it’s this guy I know. I’ve worked with him for years and finally thought I was going to have a chance for something more... But he’s going to leave one way or another. You ever feel like your arms are going to fall off when you’ve been drinking?”

“No,” Michael said feeling a bit startled by this information, and not just because of his arms. She thought he was talking about Spock, even though she wasn’t sure why she was so certain of that.

“They just feel so loose, right at the shoulders.” He rolled his shoulders forward and back again.

“If you feel that way, you must carry a lot of tension in your shoulders.”

He chuckled, but without mirth. “I feel like I’ve got the whole damn galaxy on them sometimes. It’s part of the job. I’m supposed to have this epic friendship to help out with that, but it’s not been working out that way. Actually, I’m pretty sure they were more than friends.” He took another long drink and did not explain who ‘they’ were.

Michael was pretty sure she knew anyway, although the whys of the situation were still eluding her. “The old… Vulcan would never tell me straight out, but I think I saw it in his head once.” Jim paused. Michael was certain she knew who the ‘old… Vulcan’ was and Jim’s next words confirmed it. “Can’t ask him now, but I wish I could.”

They lapsed back into silence for a while. There were many things she now wished she could ask him as well. Michael had spent as much time as she could with the older, sadder version of her brother. They’d met because it had been her ship that carried him and the first wave of refugees to the new Colony. It had taken her roughly ten seconds after she had been introduced to him to recognize him as her brother. He never could successfully hide from her, in any universe.

“You saw in his head?” Michael asked.

“Yep, he put his hand on my face and showed me some things.” Jim shrugged. “It was kind of necessary at the time. I picked up a few other things. I still want to know why not in front of the Klingons... Although, first I have to figure out what he thought was going to happen in front of the Klingons and why the Klingons were there. I mean, I think I know, but can I ever really know? Not that it matters. None of that’s going to happen.”

So, he’d shared a mind-meld with the Elder Spock and Michael really wished she’d known about this whole thing a few months ago. She could have probably gotten him to talk and then at least she’d know what Klingons had to do with anything. “Oh?”

“Especially, if my Sp... I mean, the guy that’s trying to leave succeeds and runs off to make pointy-eared babies with people who aren’t me.”

Michael nearly choked on her drink, but Jim didn’t notice. He also didn’t notice she hadn’t verbally responded as he absently traced the condensation on his glass. He looked utterly miserable. She hadn’t known Spock was contemplating reproducing, though it would be logical, at least on the surface. Would he ask Father to secure him a new bondmate? His Human genetics would be negligible if he mated with a Vulcan after a few generations and there was a massive effort underway to repopulate. Father was even considering remarrying and she would be foolish to think that younger siblings would not be part of that and the elder version of her brother had made some veiled allusions to donations…

There was an incredibly high likelihood that some ‘pointy-eared babies’ at the Colony already had her brother’s genetics and Spock’s contributions would be redundant. She doubted Spock knew any of this. He really was shit at keeping in touch with anyone in the family now, including himself. She didn’t know how the woman Spock had been dating had put up with it. From what little Michael knew about her, she seemed about as interested in children as Michael herself was. In other words, she wasn’t. Michael didn’t know that, but if Spock had broken up with her to return to the Colony, a plausible reason was that Uhura (that was her name, right?) wasn’t interested in having children. Absently, she wondered if Spock had any idea that Jim felt this way, but that was not the question that she ended up asking.

“Would you have ‘pointy-eared babies’ with him?” Michael decided to switch to water after that question slipped out.

Jim shrugged again and ordered another beer. “What’s a sperm sample and some laboratory-based fertilization and gestation amongst friends?” He asked with a miserable laugh.

“Co-parenting?” Michael ventured.

“We’d make cute kids. They’d be logical little terrors, but they’d be adorable.” Jim sounded wistful.

“You’ve given this some thought,” Michael observed.

“More than it probably deserves.”

Michael wasn’t too sure about that, based on what she’d picked up from the Elder Spock about his relationship with the Captain Kirk of his universe. “Do you love him?”

“Love him? I think he might be the other half of my soul, you know if there’s actually one in here. I broke the biggest rule in the book to save his life once. He didn’t understand why I did it, probably still doesn’t, but I’d do it over and over again. Love is an understatement,” he finished miserably. “You want to come back to my quarters and help me not think about this?”

How could this man describe Spock as his soulmate, his t'hy'la, and then proposition her? “It would probably be wise for you to retire for the night, but if you wished for company of a sexual nature, I believe it is inadvisable to discuss your unrequited love and desire to procreate.”

“You calling me a lightweight?” He asked as he handed his credit chip to the bartender. “Her drinks are on me. It’s only fair since you listened to me whine the whole time.”

“Alright, and I was just making an observation.”

“So that’s a ‘no’ on the sex?”

“A definite ‘no’.”

“That’s a shame, you really are gorgeous,” he said as he slid off his barstool and took his chip back. He stumbled as he tried to step away.

“Do you need assistance?” She asked as she caught his arm and steadied him.

“No, but company would be appreciated.”

“What kind of company?” Michael asked as she steered him out of the bar and to where she reasoned he would be staying on the station. Starbases tended to put senior officers from the same ship in the same area and Yorktown was no different in that regard. She knew where Spock was staying so his captain’s lodgings would be nearby.

 

 

Michael was disoriented when she awoke, her eyes snapping open to take in her surroundings. There was a heavy weight on her stomach. She groaned.

She really hadn’t meant to fall asleep in Captain Kirk’s quarters. She’d helped him back and had made sure he drank some water and would be able to easily find one of the pain relievers he had on hand in the morning.

She liked the guy and he’d saved planets and her brother’s life multiple times. He was also in love with her brother and the Elder Spock had held him in high esteem, so when he asked her to stay, she’d stayed.

She didn’t regret listening to him ramble about her brother until he fell asleep, except that by the time he was asleep, she could barely keep her eyes open and well... Now she was here, her shoes and jacket still in the adjacent room. At some point in the night, she’d gotten under the covers and Jim had moved and his head was now on her stomach, his hands wrapped around her abdomen like she was a pillow. His body was at an angle across the bed. The blankets were askew and his shirt had disappeared, so his bare back was uncovered.

She wondered how he wasn’t cold. She knew she should leave. She had reports to complete and she was hungry. She didn’t think there was any way to extricate herself without waking Jim up, unfortunately. If there were, she didn’t know it.

She was contemplating the virtues of shaking him awake by his shoulder when the door chimed. In response, Jim groaned and buried his face deeper into her covered stomach, then he settled again and didn’t acknowledge the chime when it sounded a second time, except that his hands clenched at her sides. She put her hand on his shoulder intending to finish the job the door chime had started but was interrupted by the door to his lodgings whooshing open.

She looked up when she heard a quiet “Damn it, Jim. Why aren’t you answering the door?” and soon after, two men entered the room.

 

 

Which was how Spock found his sister in bed with his captain.

Spock had been awake for three hours and two minutes and already felt the need to meditate. He was sitting on the sofa in his sister’s lodgings waiting for her to get dressed so that he could take her to the breakfast he allegedly owed her and trying to contain all of his emotions.

He was only marginally successful. It had been unexpectedly emotionally compromising to find Michael and his captain in bed together. It wasn’t the first time he’d caught Kirk in similar repose with a woman during leave, but it had been the first time in 1.65 solar years. He wasn’t sure which part of the scenario was disrupting his control the most.

Was it that Michael had been taken in by Kirk’s charms?

Was it that Kirk had decided to charm Michael in the first place?

Would he have been disturbed by any woman in his captain’s bed or was it specific to his sister?

“Nothing happened, Spock,” Michael said, coming out of the bedroom smoothing down her uniform shirt over her undershirt. She sat down next to him and started to put her boots on.

“I find that to be a fallacious statement at best,” Spock replied, trying to keep his tone neutral.

“You are perturbed by your belief that your captain and I engaged in sexual intercourse. No interactions of a sexual nature occurred and even if I had desired them to occur, I am uncertain he would have ceased talking about you long enough for them to happen,” Michael said. “In fact, I am certain I learned more about you and your adventures on the Enterprise last night than I will learn of them from you for the rest of our lives.”

“The Captain spoke of me to you?” Spock asked, turning his head to look at his sister.

“Indeed, at length.”

“Even though you are but a stranger to him?” The accusation in his voice was sharp.

“Spock, are you aware that your counterpart melded with him?”

“No,” Spock replied brusquely. That bothered him in a way he couldn’t examine or explain right now. He really needed to meditate.

“I think an impression of me, or rather my counterpart, transferred to him. He associated me with the term ‘cherished ko-kai’. I think that’s why he spoke so freely, not his inebriation.”

“That is an intriguing theory,” Spock allowed.

Michael laughed. “Is it?” Michael’s expression morphed into something more serious. “Do you realize that this is the most time we’ve spent together in years? In fact, this is the most we’ve spoken in years. I’ve missed you, Brother.”

“I see the truth in your statements. I have lamented your absence, but Father has told me you have spent a considerable amount of time with my counterpart,” he said more harshly than he had intended.

“I wasn’t trying to replace you, Spock. It’s just… He lost his sister. He didn’t speak to her from 2249 to 2257 and their relationship was rather fraught as they grew up together, more fraught than ours. Then, just as they were repairing their relationship, she was lost. I don’t want that to be us, Spock. We live dangerous lives. As for your counterpart, he was so alone and in a way, he was my brother as well. I can’t see you, any version of you, in pain and not try to help.”

Spock thought about this. He tried to imagine losing Michael, only one year before he’d lost his mother and his planet. His mind shied away from the idea. Losing Michael would be devastating, she had long been a source of solace. She was someone who loved him and who knew he loved her in return, even if she had once refused to believe he was capable. She had recanted her professed disbelief in his fraternal affection in her missive to him after he had turned down the Science Academy for Starfleet. It had made him more confident in that decision, though he could scarcely admit to that.

“It would be illogical to object to you providing comfort to a version of me, considering all that you have done to comfort me,” he said.

Michael hummed. “I’m glad you see it that way.” Her stomach took that opportunity to make itself known.

“I also believe that you extracted a promise of me accompanying you in your pursuit of breakfast.”

“I remember saying you owed me waffles,” Michael agreed.

 

 

“So, are you still planning on resigning from Starfleet?”

They were seated in a booth at one of Yorktown’s restaurants that were open after the USS Franklin had damaged the base. The waiter would be returning with their orders soon and his sister was becoming well acquainted with her coffee.

“How did you know about that?” Spock asked, a little alarmed. He had only informed two people of this intention and neither of them was likely to inform his sister.

“Jim told me.”

“Jim… You call him Jim?” Spock asked accusingly.

“Honestly, Spock, if I can’t address a fellow captain by a diminutive of his given name then who can I address in such a manner? Additionally, he introduced himself to me as Jim and you have not answered my question.”

“I am at a loss to know how the Captain knew this information in the first place. I have not discussed this with him, nor have I filed any paperwork that would notify him,” Spock said.

Michael shrugged. “I think that Doctor from this morning may have let it slip.”

Spock made a disgusted noise before he could stop the impulse to do so. “Why I ever confided in Do—”

“Hey, it’s big news and its the kind of thing captains want to know. I mean, if my first officer were thinking about leaving, I’d want to know as soon as the thought crossed her mind.”

“No doubt you would. Commander Tilly has a reputation for speaking her mind, freely and at length,” Spock said. He was aware that it was a tendency that had caused her some difficulty in her career.

“I like that about her, you know,” Michael said, bristling at the slight against her officer.

“I meant no offense,” Spock said in an attempt to soothe his sister.

“Of course not,” Michael replied sarcastically. “You are still trying to avoid the question though.”

“I have not made my final decision.”

“I’m pretty sure your counterpart did his part in the repopulation efforts, via donations of genetic material,” Michael blurted.

Spock nearly dropped his teacup. “Is that so?”

“Quite so,” Michael confirmed. “That should lift some of the burden off of you.”

“Indeed,” Spock felt that his voice was coming from a long way away. He cleared his throat and attempted to take another sip of his tea.

“Also, if you are still wanting to do your part and Lieutenant Uhura is not amenable, I believe that your captain would be willing to contribute his genetics to the cause,” Michael added in an almost infuriatingly blasé way.

Spock barely avoided an embarrassing mishap with his tea and set the cup down in its saucer. Clearly, his sister was determined to prevent him from imbibing his morning beverage. “Why would you say such a thing?” Spock asked.

Michael smiled at him. “Because that’s what he said last night.” She sat across from him calmly sipping her coffee as the waiter arrived with their food. They thanked the waiter and Michael started eating, seemingly without a care. Spock forced himself to take a bite of fruit. He had quite lost his appetite, but he knew that he should eat. He was likely to be spending the rest of the day in meditation.

“You must be mistaken,” he said as he speared another piece of fruit.

“Nope. He said that your theoretical offspring with him would be and I quote, ‘logical little terrors, but they would be adorable’. Say what you will about my hearing and comprehension, but it is difficult to misinterpret that statement.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Spock asked, a little desperately. He might need to spend the rest of his leave in meditation after this conversation.

“I just wanted you to be aware of all of your options,” Michael said with a shrug.

“Well, fancy seeing you two here,” Captain Kirk said. He was approaching their table with Doctor McCoy. It was a most unwelcome sight at this moment. Spock struggled for control of his vasodilation. “You two know each other?” Kirk asked, stopping in front of the table.

“Have a seat Jim, Doctor McCoy,” Michael said and the two men slid into the booth next to them as Michael and Spock moved toward the wall to make room. Kirk was now sitting very close to Spock in the booth and Spock hadn’t been this uncomfortable in the man’s presence since their first year working together. He briefly considered that the Kolinahr discipline would be the only thing that could possibly restore his logic to him after this morning, but that was a vain musing at best. A replacement for Gol had not been established at the Colony yet. The waiter returned and McCoy and Kirk gave their orders.

“So, you two know each other?” McCoy asked.

“I don’t think we were properly introduced. I’m Captain Michael Burnham of the USS Endeavour. Spock is my baby brother, by adoption.”

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Captain Burnham. I’m Doctor Leonard McCoy, ma’am, Chief Medical Officer of the USS Enterprise. This guy across from me, guzzling coffee like it’s about to be outlawed, is Captain James Kirk of the USS Enterprise, but I suspect you already knew that.”

“Perhaps,” Michael said, a bit primly. “It’d be odd if I didn’t know who my brother’s commanding officer is,” she allowed.

Kirk sputtered out a laugh as he poured a second cup of coffee from the carafe on the table. “You knew the whole damn time?”

“Yes,” Michael said.

“Everything makes more sense now.”

“I’m glad,” Michael said.

“So what have you been talking about this morning?” Kirk asked, with too much forced levity to be casual.

“Pointy-eared babies,” Michael deadpanned. Spock slowly blinked and began reciting the tenets of logic in his head.

“Er, you’re joking, right?” Kirk asked, uncertainly. His arm jostled Spock’s and Kirk absently patted it in apology. Spock’s control was such that he picked up some of Kirk’s emotions from the gesture. Beneath the alarm and embarrassment that Michael’s words had caused, there was affection and a kind of yearning which Spock, rather disconcertingly, got the impression was aimed at him. Even more disconcerting was that Spock could not find it within himself to object to the emotions as much as he should. Perhaps Spock would take it upon himself to establish a replacement for Gol at the Colony.

“I was raised on Vulcan. We don’t joke.”

“Bullshit,” Kirk said.

Michael shrugged, next to her McCoy shifted uneasily and looked around the restaurant. He was clearly hoping that the waiter would be soon returning with their food.

 

 

Jim wasn’t sure how he got through the meal without combusting from white-hot embarrassment, but he did. He wasn’t sure how Spock managed it either since Michael turned out to be a source of childhood stories about him. They weren’t stories that Jim would have found embarrassing, but this was Spock. If Jim hadn’t met Sarek, he’d have thought Spock had simply emerged fully formed from the sands of the Vulcan Forge before entering Starfleet.

He was still sitting next to Spock in the booth, finishing his breakfast. Bones had been called to deal with a medical incident involving one of the Enterprise crewmen and Michael had to see to some minutia of her ship’s repairs.

“Are there any sehlats left?” Jim asked, in an attempt to break the deafening silence.

“Yes, a few were off-world and they have been brought to the Colony. They are likely to re-establish themselves.”

“Good. I’d like to see one, they sound cute.”

“They have fangs,” Spock pointed out.

“Vampire bats have fangs and they’re cute.”

“Sehlats can grow to be comparable in size to a Terran horse.”

“Horses are cute,” Jim looked over at Spock to see him slowly close his eyes, take a deep breath, and reopen them. “You okay over there?” Jim asked.

“Frankly, no.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

“No.”

“Ah,” Jim replied. They were silent for a long moment. Jim pushed his eggs around his plate absently before taking another bite.

“Captain?”

“Hmm?” Jim vocalized around a mouthful of egg.

“Would you explain to me why you told my sister you wanted to have ‘pointy-eared babies’ with me?”

“Did I say that?” Jim tried for nonchalant and failed.

“She said that you did.”

Jim took a deep breath. “I don’t. I mean, I do, but now clearly isn’t the optimum time and this isn’t how I wanted you to find out.” Jim sighed. “This isn’t exactly the best place to have this conversation, but I guess we’re going to have it anyway.”

“You feel a considerable amount of affection for me,” Spock stated.

“True.”

“Is this affection the reason that you spoke of offspring?”

“More or less, yes. I want that because you seem to want that, not that I have any objections to having kids anyway. I just didn’t _plan_ on having kids.”

“‘Logical little terrors’,” Spock intoned.

“But adorable. Why are you talking to me about this? You can’t possibly want this with me. Up until recently, you were content with Uhura.”

“Lieutenant Uhura and I have terminated our romantic relationship. She also does not desire children. Our goals in this regard are incompatible.”

“I see.”

“I am willing to see if we are compatible in more than our mutual desire to procreate.”

“Okay…” Jim said slowly.

“Provided I never find you in bed with my sister again.”

Jim laughed. “Deal. You’ll only find me in bed alone, with you, or —maybe someday— with a pointy-eared toddler who had a bad dream.”

“That is agreeable.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story and rambling self-congratulatory comments about my own writing are what happens when I'm still awake at four in the morning. (I just... I just don’t know where this one came from. Sorry?)
> 
> ko-kai - sister
> 
> t'hy'la - friend, brother, lover 
> 
> Vulcan language information pulled from [here](https://www.starbase-10.de/vld/).


	10. The One at Spacedock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or The One Where Bones Finds Out. AU. Takes place during The Search for Spock.
> 
> Tags/Warnings: James T. Kirk/Spock, (referenced) Hugh Culber/Paul Stamets, (implied) Slyvia Tilly/Michael Burnham, (referenced past) James T. Kirk/Original Male Gallamite Character, and various friendships. Temporary major character death (Spock, obviously) and the angst that entails, minor medical issues, kind of gross alien biology, expletives (Tilly's fault), referenced accidental voyeurism (Poor Tilly).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chance to learn what a Gallamite is before reading: [Memory Alpha entry on Gallamites](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Gallamite)

Tilly was holding Michael’s hand as the Enterprise pulled into Spacedock. Her hand was the only thing anchoring Michael to this moment.

“Oh god, this is really happening, isn’t it? He’s really gone,” Tilly breathed.

 

She had said Michael’s thoughts aloud once again. Michael wanted to look away, but she couldn’t take her eyes off of the battle-scarred ship.

No one except Tilly had expected Michael to take compassionate leave when Spock had died. Tilly had messaged her as soon as she’d gotten the news, saying that her first officer needed the experience anyway and she had up to two months of leave coming to her. Michael couldn’t find it in herself to turn down the comfort of having Tilly there as she tried to deal with her little brother’s sudden departure.

Tilly had met her on Earth before everything went further askew and awful. Before they learned of details of Spock's funeral. Amanda had messaged, saying that Sarek would be coming to Earth to retrieve Spock’s body and katra and they would return together Vulcan if at all possible. Then, there had been a second message indicating that Sarek would still be attempting to retrieve Spock’s katra since his body could not be reached.

 _We suspect Admiral Kirk may bear Spock’s katra. We ask that you try to keep him calm until Sarek can collect him_ , Amanda had said.

This was not typical, but Spock had never been typical. With no regard for Vulcan tradition, Spock’s body had been put into a photon torpedo casing and fired into space since Spock hadn’t indicated otherwise. Why he would do such a thing was rather a mystery to Michael. She suspected that Spock thought his hybrid nature may have left him without a katra. Since events when she was eleven years old left her certain that she, a Human, had a katra... She rather felt that she’d done her brother a disservice.

As for Admiral Kirk holding Spock’s katra, Michael was dubious.

“Wonder when we’ll get the call?” Tilly asked.

“When Hugh knows something,” Michael replied.

Tilly hummed.

Michael could absolutely understand what would lead Sarek and Amanda to believe that Admiral Kirk would have Spock’s katra. Spock may have decided to hedge his bets on the katra front, though he obviously did not have time to update his last wishes for his mortal coil. Additionally, as far as Michael could tell Kirk was, for all intents and purposes, her brother-in-law*. A bondmate was a natural choice for a Vulcan to choose to bear his soul.

But, Spock and Kirk were Starfleet officers and they were in combat at the time... with Kirk in command. It wasn’t logical to compromise your commander during battle and receiving a Vulcan katra was very compromising. So, Michael had made arrangements.

“Culber to Burnham.”

Michael flipped open her communicator. “Burnham here.”

“McCoy.”

“Understood. Rendezvous in thirty minutes. Burnham out.”

“Where’s your worse half?” Tilly asked.

Hugh laughed. “My better half is still holed up in his lab.”

“Some things don’t change,” Michael remarked. “Target is moving.”

They tried to look inconspicuous as they followed Doctor McCoy.

“Shouldn’t he be passed out?” Tilly asked.

“You’d think. He got the good stuff.”

“Vulcan mind melds are in a class of their own,” Michael added. “He was the only one on the Enterprise with issues?”

“Only one that matched the description you gave me. And there are other factors: he was in Engineering before everything went down, he started showing signs of erratic behavior soon after, and they found him after he’d broken into Spock’s quarters babbling about Mount Seleya,” Hugh recounted.

“Yeah, that’s...”

“Damning?” Tilly suggested.

“I was going to say ‘conclusive’, actually,” Michael said. “Also, should you be telling us all of this, Hugh?”

“No. I’m rationalizing it by telling myself that you—Michael—are authorized to know Spock’s issues and Spock is in McCoy’s head right now.”

“Those are some impressive mental gymnastics. Is he going into a bar?” Tilly said.

“Great place to find someone to take you to get your body back,” Michael sighed. “Let’s go.”

By the time they got inside the bar, McCoy was seated with a suspicious-looking person and at the next table was someone clearly eavesdropping.

“That’s Federation Security listening in,” Hugh said, quickening his pace over to McCoy’s table.

“How do you know that?” Michael asked.

“Doesn’t he look like a cop to you?” Hugh hissed. “Doctor McCoy, you’re supposed to be resting!” Hugh said jovially, stepping up to the table. “I’m sorry about him, he’s had a rough day. Come on Doctor, let’s get you back to Medical.” Hugh grasped McCoy around the arm and pulled him up, apparently without McCoy resisting. He wasn’t looking at Hugh, Michael realized, he was staring at her.

Michael took McCoy’s other arm. “Yes, let’s take you out of here. You could find any amount of trouble here.” They led him outside and away from the bar.

“ _Ko-kai?_ ” McCoy said in Spock’s voice and Michael stumbled before regaining her equilibrium.

“I’m here, Brother. I’ll take care of you.”

“You must help me.”

“I am helping you. Father is here to see Admiral Kirk. We’re going to take you to them.”

“Jim... yes, Jim will help.”

“That’s right, Brother,” Michael soothed and then McCoy tensed and tried to pull out of their grasps.

“Woah,” Tilly said, looking up from where she was fussing with her communicator.

“Ma’am, I don’t know who the hell you are, but you sure aren’t my sister.” The voice had gone gruff. “What is going on? Who are you people and what am I doing here?”

“Doctor McCoy, I’m Doctor Culber. We met earlier at Medical. This is Captain Burnham and that is Captain Tilly. They know Admiral Kirk and Captain Spock.” Hugh and Michael led McCoy over to a bench and sat down on either side of him to wait. They didn’t know where to go, so there was no point in moving around.

“Hi,” Tilly said brightly before looking back down at her communicator. “Fucking hell, Jim, answer your damn comm.” She paced a bit before trying again.

“You’re one of Jim’s friends?” McCoy asked looking at Tilly.

“No, I’m the tooth fairy and he’s overdue,” Tilly responded sarcastically, she fussed with the communicator again, but there was no response. “He’s so fucking reliable... until he isn’t.”

“His _friends_ say that about him a lot,” McCoy said.

“Oh my god. Thirty-three years of explaining that Jim and I are just friends and now I have to explain to someone who’s known him for over twenty of those years. Un-fucking-believable. I should have made him send out a goddamn memo when he was in charge of Fleet Ops.” She sighed and turned a dial on the communicator. “Tilly to Kirk. Come in Kirk.” Tilly said, trying Jim’s personal communicator this time.

“Is she serious?” McCoy asked.

“About the memo or that she and Jim are strictly platonic?” Michael replied.

“Both?”

“She definitely joked with him about the memo.” Michael smiled. “And she has a habit of staying with him when she’s in between missions and he’s dirtside and I’m not. She visited a lot from ‘70 to ‘73 and that lead to rumors. They were unfounded except for the one that Tilly didn’t like Lori.” Michael shrugged.

McCoy’s mouth opened and shut. “My god, she’s that Tilly? I was beginning to think Jim was putting me on.” He shook his head and then he asked, “So, how do you know Jim?”

Michael sighed. “Spock’s my brother.”

“Oh,” McCoy said. “Sorry.”

“That he’s my brother or that he’s dead?” Maybe that was too blunt, but she was beyond caring. Dying herself had been less painful than this situation.

“That he’s dead, of course,” McCoy said, bewildered.

“Right. Any idea where Jim could be? It doesn’t look like Tilly’s having any luck.”

“That’s because I’m not! Michael, your father doesn’t know where he is either. But they know about the katra thing and that McCoy has it,” Tilly said, tapping her temple.

“Katra?” McCoy asked.

“Vulcans have the ability to transfer their souls, their katras, into the mind of another person via mind meld before death. Spock gave his to you,” Michael explained.

“Why that no good, green-blooded, computerized son of a bitch—“ McCoy started. Michael watched Tilly still trying to reach Kirk as McCoy went on.

Hugh pulled out a tricorder and ran the scanner over McCoy. “Okay, you need to shut up and calm down or I’ll have to give you a sedative,” Hugh said and pulled something out of his bag and attached it just below McCoy’s ear. “Cortical monitor and don’t argue." He looked at the tricorder display. "Your readings are spiking. Take deep breaths and maybe even bear down to lower your heart rate.”

“Of all the fool things to say! Take deep breaths and calm down? You want me to calm down? I have a Vulcan soul lodged in my cranium—“

Michael continued watching Tilly as McCoy carried on. At least he was creative, she mused, but in another minute she’d heard enough. So had Hugh, apparently, because he jabbed McCoy in the neck with a hypospray and McCoy relaxed against the back of the bench. His expression was still one of fury. Spock really must have been in a bind to give his katra to this man. It was either that or Spock had softened considerably more than she’d thought. Or...

“My brother voluntarily served with you for almost seventeen years?” Michael wondered.

“Yes,” McCoy said hotly.

“Jim Kirk must be really good in bed then,” Michael said.

McCoy goggled at her and there was a strangled sound from his throat, but something in the tilt of his head and the movement of his shoulders was all Spock, exasperated and noncommittal. There was a betraying hint of smugness around the mouth.

“Thought so,” Michael said.

“Yeah, I can see that,” Hugh added.

“I do not need that mental image,” Tilly said.

“Haven’t you walked in on Jim before?” Michael asked.

“Not with your brother, but yes. That makes it worse. Thanks for reminding me. The bastard went around with a broken lock on his dorm door for three months. Just couldn’t find time to fix it or report it to maintenance.” She rolled her eyes. “Eventually, I fixed it for him to spare my poor eyeballs.”

“Oh, it can’t have been that bad,” Hugh said, clearly not seeing anything wrong with the prospect.

“Visible giant brain,” Tilly said as though that explained everything.

In a way, Michael considered, it did.

“Wow,” Hugh said.

“A Gallamite? Fascinating,” Michael said.

McCoy snorted. “Figures,” he said.

“They dated for about a month,” Tilly recollected. “I was kinda glad when it was over. Brains, however attractive they may be, are not visually appealing.”

“No they are not,” Hugh added with the surety of someone who’d seen too many.

“Jim has always been fond of an open mind,” McCoy said, less acerbic than he’d been previously. He sounded fond and amused and Michael whipped her head around to look at him. Again, something in his eyes and the set of his mouth was decidedly Spock.

“Word play? Really?” Michael couldn’t believe it. McCoy’s eyes appeared to twinkle in response. She sighed. Of course, now would be the moment when Spock chose to make a pun. Plausible deniability was his forte.

Tilly’s communicator chirped. “Kirk to Tilly.”

“Fucking finally. Tilly here.”

“What’s so urgent, Tilly? I don’t have time to chat.”

“Oh really? Couldn’t tell, _Admiral_. You wouldn’t happen to be short a doctor, would you?” Tilly asked, dangerously sweet.

“McCoy?” Jim said, too caught up to notice.

“Michael and I have him, with a little help from a colleague of ours, Dr. Culber. Where do you want him?”

Getting McCoy to the right transporter room was a bit of a blur, but soon enough they’d rendezvoused with Jim and a couple of his officers just outside it. There was a determined look in Jim’s eyes, though Michael knew his grief was even deeper than her own.

“Tilly, Michael, it’s good to see you again. It’s been so long,” Jim said. Michael nodded, her throat felt tight.

“We talked on your birthday, you sap,” Tilly said, fondly.

“That doesn’t count and you know it,” he said. Tilly hugged him tightly and she whispered something Michael didn’t catch, but he nodded. Their eyes were glassy as they separated. He cleared his throat and added, “And thank you, Dr. Culber for your assistance with my CMO.”

“It was nothing,” Hugh replied with a smile, pulling the cortical monitor off of McCoy none too gently. McCoy rubbed his neck. “After years of dealing with my husband Paul, anyone else is a cakewalk.”

“Yes, well, we’ll see you on Vulcan then. Can’t have you all brought up on mutiny charges, hmm?” Jim said.

“No, I think I’ve hit my limit,” Michael replied. “Be careful.”

“Always am,” Jim replied and then they were gone. McCoy looked back at them and Michael gave a brief ta’al.

“Farewell, sa-kai,” she whispered.

Later, there would be the uncertainty and joy of fal-tor-pan and the pain of seeing her brother’s face utterly blank and then slightly distressed as he tried to remember who she was. There would be the experience of having to leave when he was just getting his feet back under him to take command back from her first officer. She would hear about the alien probe and divert to Earth to be at his court-martial, so different from her own. There would be the absolute delight at seeing him with his t’hy’la and their intrepid crew who had saved him and all of Earth. There would be the mere slap on the wrist Jim received for his ‘misdeeds’. She would then speak once again to her brother, who recognized her and loved her.

For now, there was comfort in knowing that her brother was in the best possible hands.

* The lack of a paper trail had long been vexing for the House of Surak. Kirk had been in the clan register as Spock's t'hy'la, with all the inherent rights and responsibilities, since Spock's first pon farr, at T'Pau's insistence. It had been thought that at the next occurrence of Spock's time the formalities would be observed and that their bond would be formally recognized as telik instead of just telsu. However, now two of Spock's times had passed without any change in their status. Kirk and Spock had notified Starfleet and the Federation of their bond after the V'Ger mission, which meant that both entities treated them as married, since they lacked the distinction between telsu and telik**.

** Vulcan had not seen it necessary to inform the Federation and Starfleet of the distinction since telsu and telik were nearly synonymous. Admiral Kirk and Captain Spock represented an extremely rare edge case that Vulcan had not anticipated during the formation of the Federation. Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Incidentally, bearing down will lower the heart rate. Don't ask how I know that, it's not a fun story.
> 
> Gallamites (who have visible brains twice the size of a Human brain) are from DS9 and Tilly's about as grossed out by the idea as Kira Nerys is.
> 
> fal-tor-pan - refusion of katra and body
> 
> ko-kai - sister
> 
> katra - soul
> 
> pon farr - Time of Mating. If you don't know this one, stop right here and watch TOS episode Amok Time. Just do it.
> 
> sa-kai - brother
> 
> ta'al - Vulcan hand salute
> 
> telik - married
> 
> telsu - bonded
> 
> t'hy'la - friend, brother, lover 
> 
> Vulcan language information pulled from [here](https://www.starbase-10.de/vld/).

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is appreciated.  
> [My tumblr](https://bitterific.tumblr.com)


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